Improvement in mowers



g 3Sheets-Sheet1 R. D. THOMSON.

. MOWERS. N0. 178,034. Patented. May 30,1876

N.PETERS, FHOTO-IJTHOGRAPHER. WASHINGTON, D C.

' 3Sh eetsSheet 2'. R. D THOMSON.

MOWERS.

No .178,0'34. Patented May 30,1876.

JETERS, PHOTO-UTHOGHAPHER, WASHINGTON, D c.

- '3 SheetsSheet 3.

' R. D THOMSON;

MOWERS. v

Patented May 30,1876.

N, PETERS. PHOTOLITMOGRAFHER. WASHINGTON n O.

ened centrally, or nearly so, thereto.

" UNITED STATES PATENT orrron.

ROBERT D. THOMSON, NORTH PLATTE, NEBRASKA.

IMPROVEMENT IN MOWERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 178,034., dated May 30, 1876; application filed May 13, 1876'.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT D. THOMSON, of. North Platte, Lincoln county, and State of Nebraska, have invented a new and useful the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 represents a side view of my reaper or mower; Fig. 2, a top view of the same; Fig. 3, a transverse central vertical section Fig. 4, an inside view of the detached righthand portion of Fig. 3; Fig. 5, a top view of thesame. Figs. 6, 7, 8, 10, 11,12, and 13 are details. Fig. 9 represents a modification of the driving mechanism.

To enable others to construct and use my reaper and mower, I proceed to describe its construction and operation as follows:

The same letters designate like parts in the several figures of the drawings.

A is the metal frame; B, thetongue fast- 0 are braces extending downward from the frame and toward each other, and joining a vertical guide-plate, D, which also extends down ward from the frame A. The guide-plateD is flanged I atits sides to form vertical dovetailed ways,

in which rides up and down the sliding bar E, whose edges are inclined correspondingly to the inclination of the flanges of the guide-plate D. At'the bottom of the sliding bar E, one on each edge thereof, project lugs F, to which is pivoted the finger-bar G by lugs F. One

- of the lugs F is provided over a part of its of thesliding plate E. On the frame A is mounted, by a double joint, c d, a lever, H, whose short arm is pivoted to the head of the sliding bar E. By bearing down on the lever H-the sliding bar E is raised vertically in the guide-plate D, and the lugs F on plate E, ris- 'ing with the plate, lift the finger-bar, which is pivoted to them by lugs F, until that one of the lugs F which has cogs engages with the stationary cogged bar on the guide-plate D, when, as the sliding bar rises farther, the fin ger-bar is raised in a vertical are around the lugs F until it may stand vertically alongside of the sliding bar E. It is seen that the lever H and its connections raise the sickle-bar a short distance,and in a horizontal position, before the finger-bar is raised at its outer end. The finger-bar G and its guards are of the usual construction; but the sickle-bar I is nearly double the length of the finger-bar G, and is thickest at its center, and gradually grows thinner to its ends. It is bent at its thickest portion and doubled on itself, becoming nearly the length of the finger-bar.

In the bend is placed a head-block, J, through which passes the bolt, which passes also through the eye of the pitrnan K. The other end of the pitman K is pivoted to an upright eye, L, set in the lower end of the double lever M. This eye is to be loosely set, in order that it may rotate horizontally. The double lever M is fulcrumed on a bolt, 19, passing through the forks of a head, N, which may ride on dovetails formed in the brace O, or in an orifice of shape corresponding to it, (though not dovetailed,) and. formed in the frame A. The former construction appears in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, and the latter con- -struction is shown in Figs. 9, l0, and 1 1. I

now prefer the latter construction.

On one side of the double lever, and equidistant from its fulcrum, are mounted two friction-rollers, f f. These ride on an undulating surface formed on or attached to the driving-wheel, as I may desire.

The distance between the friction-rollers ff is once and a half the distance between two adjacent elevations or depressions of the undulating surface; consequently, when one roller rides against an elevation of the undulating surface, the other roller rides against a depression of that surface. As the drivingwheel revolves, the rollers are brought alternately upon an elevation and a depression. At one instant the upper roller is on an elevation' and the lower on a depression; at the next change the upper roller is on a depression and the lower roller on an elevation. It follows that the double lever M is changed bar.

alternately from a lever of the first class to a lever of the third class as the driving-wheels or axle revolves the undulating surface.

When the upper roller rides an elevation it operates the lever M as a lever of the first class, by pushing its short arm outward, and moving its long arm and the connected pitman K and the sickle inward toward the driving-wheel. The lower wheel being in a depression permits the long arm of M to mo e inward. On the contrary, when the lower roller is on an elevation it operates the double lever M as a lever of the third class; and by pushing the long arm of M, the pitman, and the sicklebar outward, thus the sickle-bar is reciprocated, being drawn alternately inward by the upper roller operating the lever M as a lever of the first class, and being driven outwardly by the lower roller operating lever M as a lever of the third class.

The friction-rollers are thrown in and out of gear with the undulating surface by the following mechanism: In the frame A, over the head N, is a circular bearing for a crank-rod, O, circular in its cross-section. In its end is a pin, 9, which enters an oval or elliptical slot, h, in the head N. a

The major axis of the slot is nearly or quite equal to the diameter of the bearing of the crank O, and is transverse to the length of the head N. By revolving the crank O the pin g, operating on the perimeter of the slot h, moves the head N backward or forward in the orifice of the frame A, Fig. 10, or in the grooves in the brace O, according to the position of the head N, as heretofore stated.

The driving mechanism is as follows: Beneath the frame A are formed boxes P P for the axle Q. To the axle is rigidly attached the undulating surface 2', either directly, as shown in Fig. 9, or indirectly, by being formed on or attached to the driving-wheel R, which is rigidly joined to the'axle Q, as it appears in Figs. 1, 2, and 3. In both arrangements the sickle-bar is operated by both drivingwheels; but in the latter arrangement Ihave provided for relieving one driving-wheel from operating the sickle-bar, and for permitting the released wheel to revolve either forward or backward independently of the other wheel, while the other wheel is driving the sickle- This is accomplished as follows: A serrated clutch-sleeve, S, having an annular recess, 'i, is placed on the axle Q by a slot and pin, or equivalent retaining devices, so as to slide lengthwise on the axle, and to revolve with it, and engagein the mortised hub of the driving-wheel. Between the opposite end of the sleeve S and a shoulder on the axle rests a coiled spring, 70, which exerts its power to hold the clutch to its work. On the tongueB is pivoted a lever, T, whose short arm engages the recess 11. By operating the lever T the clutch is disengaged from the driving-wheel, which then revolves freely about the axle Q without operating the sickle-bar. On relievin g the lever the spring forces the clutch into engagement with the hub, when the drivingwheel assists the other driving-wheel to operate the sickle-bar.

By the other construction (shown in 'Fig. 9)-

I provide for automatically relieving either drivingwheel from working the sickle-bar whenever from any cause, as from an obstruction, a force is brought against that wheel sufficient to overcome the force of the coiled spring 70, which is nearer to the same wheel.

The strength of the coils 70 may be adapted to scribed liereinbeforc, for voluntarily releasing one driving-wheel. -On the hubward end of the sleeve, and on the hubs of both drivingwheels, are made serrations in the form of ratchets l. The undulating surface is rigidly fastened to the axle Q. When the machine moves forward the perpendicular sides of the ratchets on both hubs engage corresponding sides of the ratchets on the sleeves, which are pinned, or in an equivalent way fastened, to the axle, and both wheels turn the axle and the undulating surface, and through the double lever M and pitman work the sicklebar.

Whenever any obstacle opposes either driving-wheel, and that wheel does not immediately surmount the obstacle, either drivingwhecl (say the one farther from the undulating surface) continues to exert power on the axle and sickle-bar until the hindering power, taking effect on the unimpeded wheel, turns it forward with a force greater than the coiled spring near the unimpeded wheel can resist, when that spring yields, and the ratchet nearer the obstructed wheel is revolved forward by the unimpeded wheel, and the obstructed wheel, released from working the sickle-bar, revolves freely to override the obstruction. Should the wheel nearer the undulating surface be obstructed, the other wheel in like manner relieves it from working the sicklebar, and suffers it to revolve freely to overcome its obstacle.

The friction rollers f f are of metal, and may be covered with gutta-percha or rubber.

Whether the undulating surface 5 be at-.

tached to the axle or to the driving-wheel, it may be protected by the overhanging rim of the driving-wheel, as appears in the drawings. The teeth or sections are placed side by side, between the upper and lower portions of the sickle-bar I, and are fastened by two rivets passed through each section, and through both the upper and the lower portions of the sicklebar I.

The undulating surface may be formed on a reciprocating sector of a circle, or even be formed on a reciprocating plane, and it will operate the friction-rollers 5 but I prefer, for

the purposes of this machine, to shape it in circular form. r

It is obvious that the sleeves, where the serrations are ratchet-shaped, may be provided with recesses and levers for voluntary operation, as has been shown in Fig. 1, and described, where the serrations are rectangular.

I claim- 1. The sickle-bar I, pitman K, rotating eye L, vibrating lever M, rollers f f, sliding head N, adjusted by the lever 0, combined with the undulating ca mwheel 13, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination of a vertical guide-plate, having a cogged projection and a sliding bar, an operating device for the sliding bar, with a pivotallyeattachedfihger-bar, having toothed lugs, as and for the purpose set forth.

bearing the friction-rollers is hinged, having a cross-slot, as described, with'a cam-lever, as and for the purpose set forth. R. D. THOMSON. Witnesses:

J 0s. '1. K. PLANT, E. B. STocKING. 

